Die cutting machine



ug. 18, 1953 RA w. .JACK ET AL DIE CUTTING MACHINE 6 Sheetsheet l Filed Aug. 26, 1950 Aug. 18, 1953 R. W. JACK ET AL DIE CUTTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 195o ug. 18, 1953 R. w. JACK ET AL 2,649,033

DIE CUTTING MACHINE v Filed Aug. 26, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug, 18, 1953 R. w .JACK ETAL DIE CUTTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-5heet 4 Filled Aug. 26, 1950 @gni/gay! Aug. 18, 1953 R. w. JACK ET A1.

DIE CUTTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1950 Aug. 18, 1953 R. w. JACK ET AL 2,649,033

DIE CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented ug. 18, 195.3

DIE CUTTING MjA'cHnvEL-v i Robert W. Jack and Harry- E. Montgomery,

Rochester, N. Y., assignors .to Metal Artsy Company, Rochester, N. Y.,

York

a corporation of New Application August 2s, 19150, serial No. 181,638 6 claims. (c1. coq-3.1)

Our invention relates to machines for cutting or engraving dies or molds from models which may be either in relief or in intaglio form.

In accordance with our invention, a model table and a work table are arranged in horizontal positions on ways which may be those of a lathe bed, provision being made to move the model table and the work table proportionately along the ways. A stylus, or tracer, and a quill, or cutter, are arranged to be moved proportionately across the model and work tables, and proportionately toward and away from the model and work tables so that the quill follows 'the outline of the model and engraves the work to a contour corresponding in details either directly or in reverse to the details of themodel.

One improvement to which our invention relates is the provision for steady uniform horizontal proportionate movements of the model and work tables which are independent of the lateral movements of the stylus and quill.

Another improvement resides in the means for automatically reversing the travels of the model and work tables so that without attention of an operator the stylus and quill can be made to retrace the entire area of the model and work, producing a nish on the work when the quill is making only minute cuttings on the'surface of the work. f

Another improvement resides in provision for moving the work table in the opposite direction from the movement of the model table so Ythat both right and left-hand work can be produced from a single model.

Another improvement resides in mechanism for reversing the vertical travel of the stylus with respect to the quill so that intaglio engraving of the work canbe produced from a model in relief, or an engraving in relief can be produced from a model in intaglia.

Another improvement resides in the provision of an adjustable friction or resistance means for the bar called the ratio bar which carries the stylus and quill to insure against vibration or chattering of either the stylus or the quill, the drag o1' friction being large in relation to the resistance of the stylus so that when the stylus passes from an upgrade to a level portion, or'to a downgrade portion of the model, the tendency of the stylus to jump or chatter is entirely eliminated.

Another improvement lies in the arrangement of drive shafts, speed reducing gears and pulleys by which all of the movements of the machine are caused to operate smoothly and without vibration, thus eliminating irregular surfaces on the engraved -work.` Y Y i* Still further improvements are set forth in the following detailed description and in the appended claims. u y Y Qurinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate like parts on the several views, and in which Y Fig. l is affront elevation of our engraving machine showing themodel'table at the left and the work table at the right.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of *our engraving machine. i Fig. 3 is a rearvievvpf the model table end of the machine showing the; arrangement of the power -drive connections, butv from which the power drive for rotating the lead screw to produce horizontalmovementA along the ways of the machinebed lhas been omitted.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the left end of the device ,as illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end'elevation showing the right end'of the device as villustrated in Fig. l.

` Fig. 6 is an enlargement of the reversing mechanism shown in the lower left portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an illustration of the model table extension whichjisA used when `an intaglio engraving is to be madeifromarelief model, or conversely, when a relief vengraving is* to be made from an intaglio model. v j Referring more particularly to Figs. l to 5, the model tablejIlljand thework table Il are provided A with Y,V-grooves kl2 to fit upon V-ways formed along the top surface of the bed I5. The model ,table Ill may bemoved along its way by turning the hand wheel I6 for the initial adjustment ofthe vmodel tabley I0, or by the rotation of the lead screwrmll, the switching from hand operation-to lead screw` operation being controlled by` the lever I8 bymechanism beneath the skirt 20, `wl'1ich 1',nechanisin isnot shown because it is of standard construction lsuch as is used on the tool*carriageofmachine lathes.- The movement ofthe-work tableljlvalongthe ways I3 is brought about. by aparfitograph Structure which receives its moving force from the model table l0,through an adapter bar 12, which is rigidly attached to and .extends-.rearwardly A.frena the model table W The ,adapter bar-.22 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 273 intovany one of which a pin or -bolt* maybeminsertedfor holding the cone member lof theball bearing 25, the ring of which is suitably attached ,to`r the connecting rod 2t. The connecting rod 26 passes through an openingin abloegzlsivnihss Suitablvpivoted ,011 2 dovetailed connecting rod slide 28, which rides on the pantograph bar 30. Set screws are provided for holding the connecting rod in a selected position in the block 21 and for holding the slide 28 in a selected position on the pantograph bar 30.

Work table locating bars 32 and 33 are rigidly attached to the bed I by means of a cross-plate 34 secured across the Ways of the bed and extend parallel with and one on each side of the bed. Two locking bar slides 35 and 36 are arranged to be moved lineally of the work table locating bars 33 and 32, respectively, and are provided with trunnions 31 and 38 by which the pantograph bar 30 may be pivotally connected to either the work table locating bar 32 or 33, but as will be hereinafter explained, the bar 30 is never connected to both of the locating bar slides 35 and 36 at the same time.

A link 40 is pivotally connected with a pantograph bar slide 4I and with a slotted bar 42 which is attached to the work table II. The link 40 may be moved crosswise of the bed to any position between the locating bar slides 35 and 36. This is accomplished by moving the pantograph bar slide 4I along the dovetailed pantograph bar 36 and by moving the work table connecting bar 39 along the slot in the slotted bar 42, keeping the link 48 substantially parallel with the machine bed I5 when the pantograph bar 30 extends at right angles to the bed I5.

The purpose of having two work table locating bars 32 and 33 is to make possible a reversal of movement between the model table IIJ and the work table II. When the pantograph bar 30 is pivoted to the work table locating bar slide 35, the pantograph structure causes the work table II to move in the same direction as the movement of the model table I0. When the pantograph bar 38 is pivoted to the locating bar slide 36 and disconnected from the locating bar slide 35, the work table II is caused to move proportionately in the opposite direction from the movement of the model table I0. The amount of movement of the work table with respect to the model table is adjusted by moving the link 40 to different positions along the pantograph bar 38 and the slotted bar 42, and by the movement of the connecting rod 26 to (different posiitons along the adapter bar 22 and the pantograph bar 3D.

A stylus 45 and an engraving quill 46 are each slidably mounted on a square ratio bar 41. The ratio bar 41 is universally pivoted near its righthand end (Fig. 1). The vertical trunnion cornprises a shaft 48, supported in bearings 49 and 50, and is movable vertically by an adjusting screw 52 threaded in the lower part 53 of the bracket 54, which also carries the bearings 49 and 58. The adjustable vertical shaft 48 may be raised or loweredA in its bearings 49 and 50 by the aid of adjusting screw 52 for major adjustments to accommodate differing heights of models and work. The vertical trunnion 48 is located in substantially the same vertical plane in which the lower ends of the stylus 45 and the quill 46 are located.

A block 51 provided with dovetailed ways is mounted upon the upper end of the trunnion shaft 48, and carries a slide 58 which is adjustable on the block 51 lengthwise of the bed l5. 'I'he slide 53 carries a pair of horizontally positioned pivot supports into which cone pointed screws 59 are threaded to support they cone cups 60 in the ratio bar support 6I. The pivots 59 are located in substantially the same horizontal plane- 4 in which the tips of the stylus and quill are located.

A motor 63 is mounted upon the overhanging end of the ratio bar 41 for rotating the quill shaft 84 by means of a small round belt 65 which passes over a series of adjustable idler pulleys 66, mounted on a rod 61, which extends upwardly from and is supported by the slide 58. The supports for the pulleys 66 may be moved vertically along the rod 61 and fastened in the proper positions to maintain a proper tension on the round belt 65 and to permit the quill 46 to be moved to various positions along the ratio bar 41. A weight 69 is attached to the protruding end of the ratio bar 41 and is adjusted to almost, but not quite, overbalance the ratio bar 41 about its horizontal pivots 58.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the horizontal and vertical movements of the stylus 45 will be proportionately duplicated by the point of the quill 46. The vertical movement of the stylus 45 responds to the conformation of the model upon which the stylus lightly rests.

The horizontal movement of the stylus 4'5 and the consequent horizontal movement of the quill 46 is brought about by mechanism more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

A stroke centralizing bar 10 is pivotally connected to the adjustable ratio bar carrier 1I by a universal ball bearing pivot structure 12, and is lineally adjustably secured in the block 13, which is pivotally and adjustably secured to the upper end of the oscillating bar 14. The lower end of the oscillating bar 14 is pivotally supported at 15 on the base 11. The bar 14 is oscillated by the rotation of a stroke regulator disc 18, the shaft 19 of which is rotatably supported on brackets extending laterally from the underside of the bed I5. The brackets 80 also carry the bearings for the shaft 8l on which a pair of shear pin discs are mounted which carry and normally drive a pinion 83, which meshes with the gear 84, attached to the stroke regulator disc 18. The stroke regulator disc is provided with a slot 86 in which a guide pin 81 is adjustably secured. This pin 81 is illustrated in Fig. 4 at the center of the stroke regulator disc 1 8 but is adapted to be xed to the disc 18 at any position along the slot 86 for the purpose of regulating the stroke or oscillation of the bar 14 as the disc 18 is rotated. The rotation of the disc 18 is accomplished through the rotation of the pinion 83 mounted as before described.

The upper end of the oscillating bar carries a second pivoted block 88. A friction bar 90 extends through an opening in the block 88 and has its remote end pivotally attached at 9i to the bed I5 by means of a bracket 92.

In order to adjust the stylus for its, proper horizontal movement, itis first positioned. at the horizontal center of the model, and with the slot 364 in the disc 18 standing` vertically, the block 13 is tightened upon the centralizing bar 10. Next, the disc I8 is rotated until its slot 86 extends horizontally. The upper end of the oscillating bar 14 is then moved laterally of the b ed I5 until the stylus 45 reaches the extreme lateral position on the model. At this time. the guide pin 31 is tightened, binding it in the slot B6. the stroke, regulator disc 18 causes the guide pin 81 to move up and down in the slot 94 in theA oscillating bar to cause the stylus to movelat- It will thus be seen that the rotation of erally from one rextreme to ther other of-the model. n y K The purpose of the friction bar. 90 is todampen all vibration as the centralizing bar moves the stylus back and forth across the varying con*- tour of the model. The lateral movement of the stylus is very slow, the pinion gear beingr driven through reduction cone pulleysv 95 and 96 and V-belt -pulleys 91, 98, 39 and |89 by the motor IUI,

Although as stated, the lateral movements of the stylus and quill are Very slow, the movements of the model table and the work table along the ways of the bed I5 are very much slower than the lateral movements of the Stylus and quill. The slow lineal motion of the model table responds to the slow rotation of the lead screw I1. The left end of the lead screw (Fig. 1) carries a gear wheel |83, driven by a pinion |94, attached to a gear wheel I U5, which isdriven by a pinion |96. A chain sprocket |81 is mounted on the shaft which carries the pinion |06, and is driven through a chain |98 and sprocket |09 mounted upon a reversing clutch shaft III), which is driven by chains III and ||2, the chain |I'2 being driven through meshing gears ||6 to reverse the direction of rotation to cause the right end part I I 3 of the clutch on the shaft ||il to rotate oppositely from the left end part ||4 of the clutch (Fig. 6). The central member H5 of the clutch is pinned t0 the shaft I I9 so that the shaft is caused to rotate either clockwise or counter-clockwise,v depending upon the positions of the clutch members ||3and||4. g Y l v A yoke ||1 is provided with pins ||8 which engage in circumferential grooves in the clutch members ||`3 and H4 to shift them simultaneously along the shaft I I0.

The yoke slides bodily along the shaf IID and in the guide |2| secured to the base |22, moving the clutch members ||3 and H4 to their alternate positions. The yoke |I1 iS moved from one position to the other by means of a pair of solenoids |23 and |24, the circuits for which are controlled by a so-called vlimit switch |25, which is attached to the bed I5 in position to be actuated by pressure from the model table when it has moved to a position in which the stylus 45 has arrived at its extreme position after one complete traverse of the model.v

When the switch |25 is actuated, it changes the electric circuit from one of the solenoids |23 -|24 to the other through a, suitable source of current, thus reversing the direction of rotation of the lead screw I1 and, consequently, the direction of movements of the model table IB and work table The chain sprockets |21 and |28, which drive the clutch members ||3 and ||4 in opposite directions of rotation, are mounted one upon. a shaft |29 and the other on the` shaft fof .one of the meshing gears IIS. The shaft |29 is driven by means of a chain |39 and sprocket |3| from a sprocket |32 which is mounted upon the shaft 19. One of the meshing gears ||3 is driven by a chain |29 from theshaft |29. A switch |34 controls a pair of electrical circuit breaking contacts in the circuit ofthe main motor I|'. The switch |34 may be attached to the bed either in the position Shown or in the position in which the switch |25` is illustrated. If located in the position show'nin Fig. 1, the circuit of the main motor will be interrupted when the model table has moved to the right,

and then back vtothe 1ertto the` positionfof start. If the switch |34 is located in the'position in which the switch |25 is illustrated inv Fig. 1, thenthe motor |0| will be stopped whenthe model table has moved to the right a sufdcient distance for the stylus to'fhave traversed the entire model.

Anextension to the model table by means of which the `model may be reversed is illustrated in Fig. 7. In accordance with this feature of our invention, four Ystandards |36 support a plate |31 above the normal level of the model table I9. The model |38 to be 'copied is attached kto the lower face of the plate |31, and the stylus 45 is reversed so that it now extends upwardly instead of downwardly into contact with the model |38. The quill will, therefore, engrave an intaglio |39 of the model. When the arrangement vof Fig. 7 is used, the weight 69 is slightly increased so that the ratio bar 41 will be slightly overbalanced.

summarizing the setting up and operation of our die cutting machine, the pantograph structure is first adjusted to provide the proper ratio between the size of the model and the size of the die to be out. At the same time the positions of the 'stylus 45 and the quill 46 are adjusted along the ratio bar 41 to the same ratio of movement as has been adjusted into the pantograph. If it is desired to change the lineal and lateral proportions of the die from those of the modely the settings of the 'stylus and quill on the ratio bar 41 may be different from the ratio proportions set into the pantograph. If the position of the trunnion block 58 on the dovetailed slide 59 is to the left of the center of the shaft 48, the die will be cut proportionately shallower in relief that the model. If the position of the trunnion block v58 on the dovetailed slide 51 is to the right of the center of the shaft 48, the die will be cut proportionately deeper than the model. If an exact proportion reproduction iS desired, the trunnion center must be on the center of the shaft 48. The model and die block are now securely fastened to the model table and `work table, respectively, and the model table is moved lineally along its ways by the hand wheel I 6 until the stylus 45 is directly above the center of the model. At this time the ratio bar. 41 is held against downward movement by a roller |40, which rests upon an adjustable horizontal track |4I, which is` moved down during the engraving operation by loosening the bolt |42. The die block is now adjusted so that the quill 46 stands immediately above the center of the portion of the die block which is to be engraved. With the roller |49 resting upon the track 4|, and the slot 86 in itsl vertical position, the strokecentralizing bar is secured in its block, the guide pin 81 (Fig. 4) is loosened, and with the slot 86 now moved to a horizontal position, the stylus is moved to one edge of the model. The guide pin 81 is then tightened in the slot 36. These adjustments having been made, the track I4| is lowered and the stylus is lowered onto the model. The quill is now adjusted vertically so that it assumes a position with respect to the die yblock corresponding to that of the stylus; If the point on the model at which the stylus starts its tracing is lower than the, normalv surface of the die block, then the'quill 46,'which'is now rotating, must be gradually depressed by hand until it has cut its Way into the die block to a depth correspond- 7 ing with theiow pointatwhich tia-e stylus-starts tracing the model.

Upon starting of the motor |01, the stylus-t commences a very-slow lateral movement across the model', and, at the same time, the quill- 46 starts a proportionate lateral movementy across the die block. The rotation of the leadAv screw l1 causes the model table to move extremely' slowly but steadily along the ways ofV the bed liliz and through the pantograph connection causes a proportionate lineal movement of the work table land diel block. This lineal movement is so slowthat the stylus moves completely across the model and back to the starting point While the modeltable moves only a very small fraction of an inch, and sinceI the ratio between theV model and the die block is frequently a-s much as ten to one, the movement of 'thework table alongv its ways is so small as to be almost imperceptible for one passage of the quill over and back across the die block. The movement of the-Work table along its ways is usually less than 1/100 of an inch for each traverse of the quill.

Although We have shown and described our invention with respect to many details, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be unduly limited thereto, many modifications being possible without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. In an automatic engraving machine, a model table for supporting a model to be copied and a work table for supporting a body to. be carved, ways along which said model and work tables may move, means for moving the model table at a uniform speed along said waysfor a distance as great as the length of the model, means for moving the work table at a uniform speed proportionate in speed and distance to the movement of the model table, a ratio bar extending above the model and work tables universally trunnioned at one end, a stylus and a cutting tool carried by said ratio bar, means to impart to said ratio bar lateral harmonic motion across the model and work tables, and means to impart vertical movement to said bar corresponding to the contour of the model to be copied.

2. In an automatic engraving machine, model and work tables, means for imparting uniform continuous proportionate movements in the same direction to said tables, for distances equal to the lengths of the model and work, respectively a stylus and a tool in cooperative relation with said model and work tables respectively, and means to move said stylus and tool proportionately across said tables in harmonic motion and proportionatelyl toward and away from said tables.

3. In an automatic engraving machine, model and work tables, means for imparting uniform continuous proportionate movements to said tables in the same direction equal to the lengths of the tables, respectively, a ratio bar, meansv to move said ratio bar across thel tables in harmonic motion in a direction at substantially right, angles to the movement of the tables, astylusand an engraving tool carried by said ratio bar, and a friction member resisting the movement of said ratio bar to prevent its vibration and uneven movement due to changes in resistance to movement of either the stylus or the engraving tool.

4. In an automatic engraving machine, model and Work tables, straight parallel ways upon which saidmodel'; and worktablesmaymovehori' zontally, a rotatable screw for moving the model table' along theways; powermeans fory rotating the screw steadily and continuously to move the model table from one `extremec position to the other-,a pantographconnected between the model table` and thel work;l tablev for moving the work tableV proportionatelyA along the ways, a stylus harlrionicallyY and automatically movable across the model table, automa-tic means for reversing the direction of; rotation of the screw when the stylusI has traced a predetermined area; on said model table wherebyV themovementof the model ta-bleA causes the stylus to retrace the said predetermined area, and automatic means for stopping the rotation ofthey screwA when the stylus has retraced1 the said predetermined area -of the model table;

5. Inan engraving machine, a model table and a Work table, aV ratio bar trunnioned near one end and positioned' over the model and Vwork tables, power means for harmonically reciprocating the ratiobarA across the model andy workV tables and for moving ltheI model and Work tables steadily at right angles tothe movement of thera-tio bar, and automatically operated means for reversing the direction of operation of the power means when the work table haar-'cached a predetermined position initsmovement so. that the ratio bar and the model and work tables will retrace their movemen-ts.

6. I-n an engraving machine, a model table and a work-table, a ratiobar trunn-ioned near one end and positioned over the model and work tables, power means for harmonically reciprocating the ratio bar across the model and work tables and for moving the model and work tables steadily at right angles to the movement of the ratio bar, and automaticallyoperated means for reversing the direction of' operation of the power means when the work table has reached a predetermined positionv in its movement so that the ratio bar and the model and work tables will retrace their movements, and automatic means to stop the power means when the movements of the model and work tables have returned to their initial positions- ROBERT W. JACK. HARRY E. MONTGOMERY.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 18, 1933 Germany May 9, 1927 Number Number 

